Cubit, the former head coach at Western Michigan, decided to stay loyal to a place he likes instead.

“I believe in these kids and what we’re doing and I just wanted to be a part of it,” Cubit said in the Herald & Review article. “(AD Mike Thomas) was good to me and Beck was really good to me. I’m a loyalty guy.

“I’ve been dating the same girl since my sophomore year in high school. That’s just what I do. I’m really happy being here.”

Pop on a game from the Illini this year and you'll see exactly why Cubit enjoys it and why the Illini paid him handsomely.

Cubit made this offense very different than the anemic version that went out there in Beckman's first year.

The numbers simply speak for themselves.

2012 vs. 2013 Offensive Performance

Category

2012

2013

Difference

Scoring

16.7

29.7

+13

Total Offense

296.7

426.7

+130

Rushing

127.8

139

+11.2

Passing

168.8

287.7

+118.9

FightingIllini.com

No one benefited more from Cubit's arrival in Champaign than senior Nathan Scheelhaase. He threw for 3,272 yards and 21 touchdowns, while completing 66.7 percent of his passes on the year.

This season he set career highs in completion percentage, yardage, touchdowns, completions and attempts. In fact, his 3,272 yards are over 1,000 more than his previous career high at Illinois.

Beyond the pure numbers, it was the near-instant belief in Cubit from the players that mattered most.

Coming off a season in which the Illini won all of one game, belief in yourself and your teammates can be a fleeting thing.

Cubit made this offense look confident by the time it was unveiled to the public in a blustery and cold spring game.

Scheelhaase looked different, throwing for 210 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-32 passing in horrible conditions. Additionally, the offense looked confident, and the defense couldn't stop them at any point in time.

That sounds a lot like what took place in a 4-8 season this year for the Illini.

Cubit transformed not only the offense, but the mindset of the Illini in 2013 and was rewarded for that.

With Scheelhaase leaving, it will be on Cubit to make sure this offense isn't a one-hit wonder moving forward.

*Andy Coppens is Bleacher Report's lead writer for the Big Ten. You can follow him on Twitter: @ andycoppens.